


Once Our Eyes Watered

by Kateera



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Anal, Dirty Talk, Multi, Murder Husbands, Rimming, Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-08
Updated: 2017-09-08
Packaged: 2018-12-25 04:29:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12028134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kateera/pseuds/Kateera
Summary: It's a long walk to the beach and back and enough time to make life changing decisions. Will isn't waiting anymore.





	Once Our Eyes Watered

**Author's Note:**

> I'm finally posting this! Here is my submission to the Radiance Anthology that didn't make it. I wasn't sure I wanted to post this but then decided to take it and make it dirty! Thank you to [Llewcie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Llewcie/pseuds/Llewcie) for all the work with beta-ing and being encouraging. Any mistakes are my own.
> 
> Check me out on [tumblr](http://kateera.tumblr.com/) or [twitter](https://twitter.com/kateera_) to say hi or hit my coffee link if you love what I'm doing :) (trying to get to London next year!)

 

_Water lapped at the side of the boat while Will lounged in the bright sunlight beating down. He opened his eyes and looked around his small sailboat, scratching at his stomach where a long ragged scar still healed. The sky darkened with rapidly gathering clouds and Will coughed against the sickly sweet smell of vanilla filling his nose and mouth. Something brushed against his skin and Will looked up to see Abigail walk away from him to stand at the railing. Her father joined her and the waves churned, steam rising and swirling around Will as if he stood in one of his father’s crab boils. Randall Tier and Francis Dolarhyde appeared to complete the line-up. Waves rolled higher and the smell of rotting flesh mixed with vanilla, making Will choke at the stench. Trying to stand, Will found himself strapped to the metal dolly of his hospital days; his arms secured in a straitjacket. Abigail clutched at her throat, her eyes wide and accusing as blood flowed from her severed jugular. Will watched as Hobbs, Tier, and Dolarhyde, all sprouted wounds and poured blood onto the polished wood of the deck. They stood in a line, wounds dripping blackness and their eyes full of hatred. The four of them watched him pull at his restraints but Will wasn’t afraid of what they would do if he got free. A shadow fell over Will’s face as he struggled and he looked to watch Hannibal join the line of dead. Something shattered in his mind and Will screamed. Blood poured out of Hannibal’s mouth, turning the raging water red. Will tore at his restraints, catching at skin with his sharp nails, and bright crimson streamed down the white coat._

Tearing free from a swath of strangling sheets, Will choked in lungfuls of air and clutched at his heart. The dream skittered through his mind and he reached for Chester, the shaggy dog curled at the foot of his bed, like a lifeline. Calming himself with the texture of curly hair, Will breathed deep and let the images fade away while Chester licked the sweat from his palm. Like a song stuck on repeat, the dream played in his head every night and ever since they’d settled into this house, it kept him company. It wasn’t a taunt; it wasn’t as if his subconscious thought Hannibal should join those who owed Will for their deaths. The emotional despair at Hannibal’s appearance felt visceral, the sight of him standing and bleeding on that boat bringing Will to tears even now. He shook his head to clear his thoughts, dragging a hand through his hair and tugging at the tangled strands, the pain grounding him in the reality of the morning. He stumbled out of bed and gave Chester another pat as he weaved across his room and into the bathroom to start his day.

Early mornings smelled like ocean brine, blooming jasmine, and the heat of the air as it warmed beneath the rising sun. Will grabbed the container of homemade dog food from the fridge and fed Chester, his faithful spaniel mix, and Lilah, a newly-aquired battle-scarred australian heeler, while the morning sun weaved into the house and left a faint glimmer around brightly polished wood. Walking into the quickly rising heat, Will released Chester and Lilah, leaving them to run ahead while he slipped into his shoes and closed the front door. The walk to the ocean, a twenty minute journey along a winding footpath of sun baked clay, led Will down to the vacant beach. The smell of rotting seaweed hit his nose, but it was a familiar kind of toxic and he let the scent wash through him until his nose acclimated. Twisted limbs of driftwood dotted the white sand and off in the distance, a palm tree danced in the cool morning breeze. The dogs bounced along the edge of the surf barking at the waves and chasing gulls. Sitting down in his well-worn chair of cobbled-together driftwood, the legs wobbling from his weight, Will wrapped his arms around a bent leg and shifted his attention to the water.

Will scanned the nearby waves until he spotted the reason for his daily walk, a bobbing head in the gray-blue water, headed towards the shore with the broad strokes and clean lines of an accomplished swimmer. Settling further into the rickety chair, Will watched and waited as Hannibal moved into the shallow water, rising to his feet, sluicing water off his arms and hair, and strolling towards Will while Chester and Lilah barked and circled around his legs. Hannibal bent and picked up a small stick, chucking it away from the waves and into the tangles of brush further up the hill. The dogs raced after it and left Hannibal to approach Will on his own. Will watched remnants of the ocean trickle from the ends of Hannibal’s hair, down through his furry chest, to finally disappear in the dark fabric of his swim trunks. As Hannibal drew close, Will turned his eyes towards the dogs still playing in the brushes.

“How was your swim?” Will asked, the same question asked in the same manner of polite inquiry as every day since he could make the short walk.

“Acceptable,” Hannibal answered, as always.

The routine and script were normal and it set the mood for each day they’d been here, lounging in monotony and giving each other time. Time for what, Will wasn’t quite sure anymore. The time spent reaching this paradise came in flickers in Will’s mind. A boat, a room with tubes and needles and someone shouting in a language he didn’t understand. His first real memory after the cliff was the sound of light snoring as Hannibal rested against the sheets of Will’s bed. Gently touching Hannibal’s hair, Will had roused him and they stared at each other in silence. Will had opened his mouth to speak but couldn’t find words and, eventually, Hannibal rose without a word and left the room. Afterwards, Will only saw him for medication and food.  A wall formed from that moment on and Will didn’t know where the chinks were in this new structure. They’d healed from the fight and fall, at least physically, but emotional wounds still lingered like an infection on their new life.

Standing up, Will called for the dogs while Hannibal stood in the sun with his eyes closed and his head turned to the sky. Will let his gaze drift over Hannibal’s form, soaking in the sight while he could. The toned muscles from Hannibal’s constant swimming played under sun-darkened skin and the wind caught at the gray hair Hannibal wore loose, long strands brushing his shoulders. Will felt that familiar tug of longing, the one he’d let settle into his bones instead of allowing it to burst through his skin that first night, and sighed at his own foolishness.

“Something bothering you Will?” Hannibal’s eyes were still closed but Will blushed and turned away.

He didn’t say what he wanted to: that watching Hannibal swim was his favorite part of the day, that being in the same house as Hannibal brought him more peace than three years with Molly, that he wanted to wrap his hands around Hannibal’s neck and press their mouths together until they couldn’t breathe, that he wanted to watch him hunt and paint his skin in blood. Will didn’t say anything, just whistled again for the dogs and headed back down the trail. The dogs cavorted around Will’s legs as he walked the familiar path back to isolation while Hannibal stayed, perhaps to watch the waves while he dried beneath the sun. The unspoken rule that they would stay within reach but never intrude was still firmly in place. He kept to his schedule and Hannibal kept to his own and they were cordial during the overlaps. Swallowing the bitter taste of loneliness, Will stopped and stared up the path. He couldn’t keep making the same mistakes, couldn’t keep walking away. He turned around to find Hannibal watching him, dark eyes glittering, and wondered if this too was routine; he’d never looked back before.

“Walk with me?” Will asked, watching Hannibal’s face twitch with surprise. “Please?”

It wasn’t familiar or routine, this offer of companionship, and Will could see Hannibal’s mind working behind those hooded eyes to unearth Will’s motive.

“Why?” Hannibal asked at last, fitting a hundred questions into one syllable.

Will worried his bottom lip with his teeth but kept his eyes raised to meet Hannibal's. “I’m tired of the denial that follows when I walk away.”

Hannibal stared at him with his brow furrowed. Finally he nodded, his face a careful mask, but Will read cautious hope leaking through the facade. Hannibal collected his towel, slipped on his shoes, and joined Will on the path.

Reaching out his hand, Will gazed at Hannibal and let his longing break from his bones and rise to the surface, let the truth of his emotions shine out from his eyes. Will watched Hannibal surrender to the tide of everything he felt, not flinching as Hannibal placed a strong calloused hand in Will’s and pulled him closer. He wrapped him up in strong arms still cool from the water. A kitchen flashed once behind Will’s eyes before he banished it to the realm of past mistakes.

“Will, are you sure?.” Hannibal’s voice growled out the question and Will shivered under the assault.

Will wrapped his hands around Hannibal’s neck, cupping the back of his skull and touching their foreheads together. “It’s eight o’clock in the morning in Cuba, my name is Will Graham, and I want you, Doctor Hannibal Lecter, to kiss me.”

Closing the distance between them, Hannibal pressed his mouth to Will’s in a kiss made more of passion than skill, and Will moaned at the sensation of those curving lips caressing and nipping at his own. Will tilted his head to a better angle and slid his tongue against the seam of Hannibal’s mouth, causing him to clutch tighter at Will’s body and whimper. The kiss enveloped Will in a rush of pent up longing and he imagined the swell of an orchestra rising behind them, the final crash of cymbals marking Will’s surrender to desire. Pulling away with a gasp, Will moved his hands up into Hannibal’s hair and wrapped the long strands around his fingers. Hannibal didn’t move, didn’t make a sound.

Will smiled and gave a quick peck to Hannibal’s nose. “No more space. I know exactly who I am and I want exactly who you are.”

Hannibal brushed a stray curl from Will’s face and returned his smile with bright eyes, tears balanced on his lashes. “I have a sudden fear that I will wake up.”

Will put his hand against Hannibal’s stomach and grabbed a section of skin between his thumb and forefinger, squeezing hard.

At Hannibal's flinch, Will smiled in triumph. “Pain means you’re awake, right Doctor?”

Tears fell from Hannibal’s eyes and gathered in the corners of his smile. “Correct. Does this mean I can kiss you again?”

Laughing and pulling Hannibal up the path towards the house, Will brushed tears out of his own eyes. “If you’d like. You can also explain more about why we’re in Cuba of all places or if you’d prefer, we can plan our next hunt. The number of criminals in Havana is staggering.”

“You’re serious about hunting.”

It wasn’t a question but Will turned to answer anyway, keeping his hand tucked into Hannibal’s and not bothering to hide the tears brimming in his eyes as he smiled. “I’m tired of denial Hannibal. I’m as serious about the hunting as I am about running back to the house so I can join you for a shower.” Pulling him forward, Will brought Hannibal flush against his body. “As serious as I am about loving you for exactly who you are.”

Hannibal grinned and Will washed himself clean in the light of Hannibal’s happiness. He gave a small yelp as Hannibal swooped in for another kiss but melted quickly into the sensual caress of lips and tongues. Hannibal pulled back first, adorning his skin with kisses to cheeks and nose and eyelids while Will caught his breath.

“I love you as well, Will.”

Will smirked. “I know.”

Another yelp followed his words as Hannibal swatted his ass. Dancing out of his arms, Will gave Hannibal a wink and took off running down the uneven path. He didn’t look behind and he didn’t slow even as he heard Hannibal catching up. Seeing clearly what he wanted and finally possessing the sense to capture it, Will didn’t struggle as Hannibal caught him around the waist and threw him over his shoulder. He gave a few half-hearted attempts to break free before relaxing against Hannibal’s shoulder until he deposited Will at their front door. Hannibal pushed him against the warm wood to bestow more kisses to his skin. Will tugged at his ocean damp hair and dragged Hannibal inside, laughter and dogs trailing behind them. The trek to the bedroom included a stop near the dining room so Hannibal could press Will against the wall and trail kisses down his neck, a brief moment on the stairs where Will bent Hannibal over the railing and raked his nails across the expanse of gray hair on his chest, and a stumble into the bathroom to grab a neatly folded towel from the rack while Will bit bright red marks into the tanned skin of Hannibal’s shoulder. The bedroom closest to the bathroom was Will’s and he pulled led them both into the sun-lit room while Hannibal ran a towel over his still damp hair. Will closed the door to keep the dogs out and led Hannibal to the bed.

“Will, kiss me again?” Hannibal asked, placing his towel on the chest sitting at the foot of Will’s bed.

Will pressed close, tangling fingers in long hair as he planted delicate kisses against Hannibal’s perfectly curved lips. Hannibal melted into him and Will traced the lines of that beautiful mouth with the tip of his tongue. Hannibal’s fingers slid under his shirt and Will lifted his arms to let him strip the garment from him and throw it to the floor.

“Impatient are we?” Will asked with a smirk, his own hands tugging at the waistband of Hannibal’s wet shorts.

“Three and a half years,” Hannibal murmured, the words almost against the stretch of skin along Will’s throat where Hannibal licked and sucked and bright red marks rose in his wake. “Longer if you count back to when I realized what you meant to me.”

“Was that before or after I got arrested and sent to live with Chilton?” Will asked, the question rattling from his lips before he could stop it.

Hannibal’s mouth didn’t stop moving and Will moaned at the feel of each long suck against his skin. A line of red marks marched up Will’s skin from his collarbone to his ear before Hannibal drew back and examined his work. Will gasped at the haunted passion in Hannibal’s eyes.

“There was a sense of knowing before but nothing I examined too closely. In true romantic fashion, I had to lose you to figure out I wanted you.” The words were soft and punctuated with deep breaths but Will let them float along the stream in his mind and sink to the bottom.

Looping his arms around Hannibal, Will pulled him onto the bed and rolled until he could straddle his trim waist and slender hips. “I shouldn’t have asked. That’s a conversation for another time when I’m not aching to see you and touch you.”

Strong hands wrapped around his waist and Will bit his lip as Hannibal shifted him closer and nuzzled against the soft skin of his stomach. Reaching behind him, Will untied Hannibal’s swim trunks and pushed against the fabric. Hannibal hissed as Will stroked his length through the wet fabric.

“Get these off,” Will demanded and Hannibal smiled with indulgent adoration.

“I’m not having sex with you until I shower. The ocean is a dirty place.” Hannibal trailed a hand over Will’s chest and stomach and Will arched into the touch with a moan. “I’ll shower while you take care of the dogs. Meet you back here in fifteen minutes?”

Will scoffed. “You take a shower in fifteen minutes. I’ll believe it when I see it.”

“You forget,” Hannibal hissed, pressing a hand to Will’s cock that made him keen with need. “I have ample motivation.”

“Did you just make a dick joke?” Will felt a blaze of happiness through his body at Hannibal’s bashful smile. “Okay, okay, I’ll go let the dogs know we haven’t abandoned them. Hurry though alright?”

“I’ll do my best.” Hannibal said and motioned for him to move.

The swat to his ass as he rose from the bed only deepened the glow of delight in Will’s chest. He watched Hannibal enter the bathroom, his cheeks aching from his wide grin, and then padded barefoot to the living room to find Chester and Lilah curled under the coffee table. Will let the dogs out into the fenced back yard while he listened to Hannibal move through the bathroom and start the shower. Watching Chester and Lilah flop onto the coolness of the shaded porch, Will imagined what life might be like from this point on. He imagined morning kisses, shared showers, amazing sex, walks and hunts, black blood, gentle smiles, and all the things he’d missed in his years of self denial. Hannibal knew he could be like this, radiant in his skin instead of hiding beneath it. He felt brighter, glowing, like a beam of light breaking through the storm clouds in his mind and washing him clean. Leaving the dogs to their sniffing, Will walked back to his room but stopped at the bathroom door. It stood partially open and light danced in the steam wafting through the crack. Will smiled and stripped his pants and underwear off, tossing them into his room. As he entered the bathroom, he could hear Hannibal humming beneath the sound of the shower spray. He paused outside the glass door of the large shower stall and pressed his hand to the cool surface with a smirk.

“Will, that is not in any way amusing,” Hannibal said with a tap to the center of Will’s palm.

“I don’t know, it’s pretty funny where I’m standing,” Will replied but took his hand away and pulled the door open.

Hannibal stood under one of the shower heads, pushing both hands through his hair, and Will’s breath stuttered to a stop at the sight of him, naked and dripping. Every day at the beach, Will had let his eyes wander over Hannibal’s form, memorizing each line of muscle and bone while he could and it felt like stealing. This felt like a gift, to be able to look his fill and see Hannibal completely. His eyes traced over the breadth of Hannibal’s shoulders, to the curve of his back, to his strong lean legs, and up to his cock, thick and curving towards his stomach.

“You’re beautiful,” Will whispered, the last syllable catching in his throat as aching want coiled in his gut.

The caress of Hannibal’s hand against his cheek unleashed his hunger and a moan slipped from his lips. Pushing him against the wall, Will slid the glass door shut with his foot while his mouth nipped and sucked and devoured the taste of clean water from Hannibal’s skin. Hannibal growled and slid his hands through the dark curls in front of him. Pushing him against the cool tile, Will scraped his nails through thick grey chest hair, catching a nipple and sucking the gasp from his lips. He kept his eyes closed, sure he would combust at the sight of Hannibal’s eyes shining with lust. With a slender finger under his chin, Hannibal tilted Will’s head up.

“Open your eyes,” he said, his voice thick like honey.

Desire crashed over him as their eyes met and Will sank to the floor of the shower, his want for Hannibal overriding all sense. Sliding down his body till his lips could latch onto the tip of Hannibal’s cock, Will sucked and licked pre-cum away from the dark red flesh, his own cock growing heavy and tight with need. Will whimpered as Hannibal used his hair to pull him away.

“Hannibal, please.” Will begged and the thought might have been humiliating if he wasn’t so desperate. “I want, I need, please. Worship you. You’re perfect. Please.”

Will tried to say more but his mouth wouldn’t form anything beyond ‘please’ as he watched another bead of pre-cum drip from the tip of the cock just inches from his lips. Hannibal tilted his hips forward and slid into Will’s mouth with a curse. The thick fullness of Hannibal sliding down his throat chased all reason from Will’s mind; his world focused down to the rhythmic pull and push of cock between his lips.

Hannibal chanted his name, a litany rolling across his tongue as he fucked into Will’s mouth. Hands slid through his hair and Will moaned as Hannibal pulled on his wet curls, using them for leverage to push deeper down his throat. The hands in his hair relaxed and Will whimpered as Hannibal pulled away.

“Will,” Hannibal gasped, leaning back against the wall and panting. “Not here. I want you on the bed, laid out, all for me.”

Will’s whimper turned into a growl and he stood, capturing Hannibal’s lips with his own and pushing them apart to taste his mouth.. Hannibal returned his fierce kiss, biting down on Will’s lip. Drawing back, Will touched his bleeding lip and licked across the wound with a smile.

“Bed huh?” Will trailed a hand down Hannibal’s chest, touching the scar along his side where The Dragon’s bullet tore through him.

Hannibal shuddered but nodded. “Wait for me.”

Will pressed a light kiss to his cheek and left the shower, drying off quickly and catching a glimpse of his face in the mirror as he ran the towel over his hair. He looked happy, smiling with his eyes shining bright. Regret slammed into him, remorse that they could have been tangled together for months now. Hearing Hannibal bump and curse in the shower behind him, Will’s smile returned and he threw the towel in its bin before heading to the bedroom. Lying across the dark blue comforter of Hannibal’s bed, Will stared up at the ceiling and tucked his hands behind his head, sighing with peaceful contentment even as his skin prickled with anticipation. The sound of the water turning off amped up his excitement and he twisted on the bed, scooting further up and splaying his legs wide, the weight of his hardening cock resting against his thigh. Hannibal walked in, brushing a towel over his head to dry off his long hair and stopping in his tracks at the sight of Will spread out before him.

“Like this?” Will asked, cherishing the delicate pink flush to Hannibal’s skin as he stared.

Hannibal didn’t answer, merely threw his towel away and advanced on Will’s displayed body. He barely had time to brace against the headboard before his legs were thrown up to his chest and Hannibal disappeared between them. He choked as he felt a tongue probe against his entrance, circling the ring of muscle with delicate strokes before pushing inside and coaxing him into relaxing with long strokes against his hole.

“Oh, fuck,” Will gasped his hands clutching at the fabric under his hands while Hannibal slid his tongue farther into his body, stroking against his sensitive flesh and sending sparks of pleasure up his spine.

Bright lights danced behind Will’s eyes as Hannibal ate his fill, that talented tongue spearing into him and then sucking at his tender flesh until he thrashed and arched on the bed. The delicate skin felt hot and dripping from Hannibal’s mouth and his whole body ached for more and less of the sweet torture.

“More, please, please.” Will felt a swift kiss press against his thigh before a finger nudged against his spit slick skin and then pierced through the ring of muscle and into his body.

“Lube?” Will panted in the warm air of the bedroom.

Hannibal looked up, his chin shining wet from his efforts, and pointed to the nightstand. “It’s a small blue bottle.”

Will smiled down at him and then his eyes rolled into the back of his head as Hannibal sank his finger further into him and curled it up against his prostate while his tongue continued to lick over the stretched skin.

“Fuck!” Will tightened around Hannibal’s finger and saw stars behind his eyelids as the light touches to his prostate pulsed through his whole body.

“Yes, please.” Hannibal said, drawing back from Will’s prostate so he could think enough to  reach over and open the drawer for the lube. Locating the bottle, Will tossed it between his legs and Hannibal rewarded him with a smile and one last lick against his hole.

It was Will’s turn to watch, mesmerized by Hannibal’s simple actions of uncapping the lube and smearing it against his fingers. Their eyes met as Hannibal returned to his task, once again sinking his finger into Will, the passage much easier with the slide of skin-warmed lubrication.

Will slid his hands across his face and into his hair, needing to hold onto something as Hannibal added a second finger, stretching him open while he peppered light nips against his thighs and calves. When he added a third finger, Will arched against the intrusion and Hannibal wrapped his other hand around Will’s cock.  He stroked in time to his thrusts until Will was thrashing and moaning and pushing himself against Hannibal’s hand.

“Beautiful boy,” Hannibal growled and the low timbre had Will whimpering in need. “So responsive, so greedy.”

“Yes, yes to all those things,” Will said, rocking against Hannibal’s carefully thrusting fingers. “I want you, all of you, right fucking now.”

Hannibal slid his fingers deep into him one more time before pulling them out and wiping them on his nearby towel. Grabbing the bottle of lube, Hannibal added more of the slick liquid to Will’s entrance as well as to his large curving cock. Rising up, he pushed Will’s knees farther into his stomach and lined his cock up with the carefully stretched hole. Will grabbed at Hannibal’s hands, holding on as he felt the tip of that beautiful cock press against his entrance, slick and heavy as it pushed inside and filled him.

“Oh, fuck.” Will panted and gasped, unable to say more as Hannibal slid all the way in, until their bodies pressed flush against each other.

“Will, look at me,” Hannibal said, his voice cracking on the last word.

Will’s eyes latched onto Hannibal’s face, drinking in the sight of him so undone. “You’re okay. I’ve got you.”

As if the words released a valve on his control, Hannibal shuddered and rocked against him, making Will tilt his head back and moan. Hands stroked and teased his skin, pinching at his nipples before sliding down to ghost over his neglected cock. Pleasure washed through him as Will gave himself over to Hannibal’s relentlessly slow thrusts and soothing hands.

“Please, please, please, more, more, Hannibal.” His voice crackled and popped as Will clung to Hannibal’s shoulders, urging him into a faster rhythm.

Giving in to his demands, Hannibal thrust hard and fast into Will and the cries of their pleasure filled the room, harmonizing with the low thud of their bodies coming together. It sounded harsh and violent and perfect. Will’s orgasm built to a crescendo and when Hannibal leaned forward to stroke his throbbing cock, it burst against his skull like cymbals crashing. His back arched and his hips snapped up as ribbons of cum gushed from his cock, splashing onto his chest and neck.

His hands tangled in Hannibal’s hair and he pulled at the silver strands, lips latching onto the curve of his throat. Will scraped his teeth against the large vein of that perfect neck and gasped in triumph as Hannibal buried his cock deep, spurts of cum coating the inside of his body.

“Fuck, fuck.” Will clenched around Hannibal’s pulsing cock. “Want to walk around with your cum inside me, always, filled with it.”

Hannibal thrust forward, rutting against Will as he kept talking. “You could plug it in me and add more any time you wanted.”

“Fuck.Will,” Hannibal gasped and Will sucked a mark into his skin.

“I want to know how it feels to fuck you while I’m full of your cum,” Will whispered and held on as Hannibal growled and pounded fast into him, riding through the last of his orgasm.

A final pulse of his cock and Hannibal collapsed onto Will who stroked his hair and rubbed his face against his sweat-soaked skin. He felt complete and content and happy, the emotions overloading his senses until tears pricked at his eyes. He pushed his face into Hannibal’s neck but the rush of emotions was too much and a sob escaped. Hannibal rolled off of him, pulling out his softened cock with a hiss, and wrapped Will in the cocoon of his arms.

“Shhh, it’s alright, I’ve got you.” Hannibal pressed soft kisses against Will’s hair and ran his hands down his back, soothing him through the onslaught of emotional release.

They stayed wrapped around each other until Will stopped shaking and his tears dried on his cheeks. He wanted to stay, to keep Hannibal around him for the rest of his life and forget all the pain and heartache.

“I love you,” Will whispered, tangling his fingers in Hannibal’s chest hair and pressing a kiss to the skin above his heart.

Hannibal tilted his face up, making Will meet his eyes. “I love you as well, more than I thought possible.”

Will pressed their lips together, letting a slow kiss soak up the soft words and their sharp meaning. Drawing back from the kiss, Will smiled up at Hannibal and cupped his cheek, no more words needed as their eyes traded the truth between them. Fierce love gripped his heart and Will ducked his head back to Hannibal’s chest, burying his face in the coarse gray hair while strong arms clenched tighter around him.

 _We don’t deserve this happiness,_ Will thought as Hannibal curled forward and buried his nose in his hair. _But I won’t give it up._

The idea that there was time to be happy, truly and wonderfully happy, made Will choke back another crying spell. Hannibal’s relaxing hold and light snoring broke through the tension and and the tightness in his chest dissipated. Pulling back slightly from Hannibal’s loose hold, Will laid his head up on the pillows and watched him sleep. A future of possibility wandered through his thoughts, and for the first time, Will couldn’t wait to find out where it would take them. Drifting off with Hannibal’s arm draped protectively over his stomach, Will closed his eyes and let sleep claim him.

 

 

_We cross our bridges when we come to them and burn them behind us, with_ _nothing to show for our progress except the memory of smoke and the presumption that once our eyes watered._

_-Tom Stoppard_


End file.
